A Peek Inside Congressional Campaign War Chests

In the bid to replace Congressmember Lois Capps, Supervisor Salud Carbajal has raised more than $629,000, among the highest totals for Democratic challengers in open seats so far this year. Of his 520 or so donors, two dozen individuals chipped in the maximum of $5,400 for the primary and general elections, including philanthropist and Kinko’s founder Paul Orfalea, developer Ed St. George, former SBCC president John Romo, developer Neil Dipaola, and Texas home builder Randall Van Wolfswinkel. Santa Barbara Independent Publisher Joe Cole, who Carbajal recommended to the Montecito Planning Commission, wrote Carbajal a check for $1,000. About $20,000 came from political committees. At the close of the cycle, Carbajal had spent close to $62,000.

Carbajal’s Democratic challenger, Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider, raised $225,000 from about 200 donors. She received money from Stacy Pulice, who is married to Ron Pulice, who Schneider appointed to the Bellosguardo Foundation’s Board of Directors. Schneider also received checks from six boardmembers, including Morris Jurkowitz, Sandra Nicholson, Dick Wolf, Anne Towbes, Robert Lieff, and Gary Tobey. Three boardmembers gave money to Carbajal, including Wolf, who is known for penning Law & Order. A total of eight people gave to both. More than $34,000 of Schneider’s money came from relatives who live in New York. In the last cycle, she spent about $25,000.

Last week, Schneider announced she secured the endorsement of the National Organization for Women (NOW). Earlier this month, the Santa Barbara Women’s Political Committee did not have enough votes to put their weight behind Schneider or Carbajal. 

As for the Republicans, Justin Fareed came in first, raising $118,405 this cycle. To date, Fareed has raised $220,405 and spent about $30,000. Assemblymember Katcho Achadjian has raised $94,054. He also gave himself $30,000, bringing the total in his war chest to $124,054. To date, Achadjian has spent $9,303.